1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dollies and carts for transporting construction material within a work site. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a new and novel drywall transport dolly and workstation, whereby a worker can readily move one or more sheets of drywall without lifting the same before hanging the drywall in an appropriate area. Furthermore, the device provides a means to raise drywall sheets to a more ergonomic cutting height prior to installation.
Drywall is a well-known construction product used to make interior walls and ceilings within buildings and homes. The material is a plaster material pressed between two sheets of paper material that form a continuous surface for finishing the interior of a room. The drywall is provided in large sheets that must be handled prior to installation, whereby the drywall is generally delivered in stacks to a construction site and workers manually lift and transport the individual boards to their destined installation location. A lift can be used to support ceiling and higher wall installations, however this is typically used when installing drywall manually and is only after the drywall sheet has been transported through the site to the installation location.
Drywall sheets are large and cumbersome to handle because of their size and dimensions. The sheets are also quite dense and therefore heavy for a single individual to handle. As a result, drywall installers spend a considerable amount of time lifting and toting these heavy sheets during the installation process, wherein carrying the sheets is usually best accomplished using two installers. Drywall installers already spend a significant amount of time bending down or kneeling during the installation process, therefore the increased burden of carrying large and bulky sheets by hand is not a welcome addition to the strain on the installer. As a result, drywall hangers and installers who do not take precautions to avoid lifting injuries or strains can be prone to sudden injury on the job, which is expensive and an unwanted risk for all involved. In addition to individual pain and discomfort, companies may deal with high insurance claims and a decreased workforce as a result of these types of injuries.
To mitigate these types of injuries and to improve efficiency when hanging drywall, particularly in larger buildings and residences, the present invention contemplates a mobile drywall dolly and workstation hat can support a plurality of drywall sheets at one time. The dolly can support several very large and otherwise very cumbersome drywall sheets or similar panels (e.g. plywood sheets, lumber, etc.), thereby allowing the installer to simply wheel the assembly and its payload to the installation location prior to installation. The present invention comprises a dolly with a low center of gravity and a low profile, wherein the upper portion of the assembly is designed to hold one or more large drywall sheets at a slight angle without the dolly tipping over. The dolly includes lockable caster wheels, a storage location below the sheet carrier upper and optional trays for supporting tools and supplies. The device further provides a means of adjusting its height, provides handhold locations when lifting the sheets from the dolly, and finally provides a foot pedestal location for the user to stand on the dolly during installation activities. The device furthermore provides a low, U-shaped resting bar to allow for easy pass over of drywall sheets, while using the same to support the sheets. Overall, the present invention is both a transport dolly and a drywall workstation, eliminating the need for an installer to carry sheets of drywall prior to installation and carting installation tools in conjunction therewith. The device may further serve as a general dolly for transporting and supporting construction materials, lumber, and other materials thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to dollies and carrying carts. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to carts of varying construction and for various purposes, including supporting construction supplies such as plywood, drywall, and other sheets of material. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
One such device in the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,503 to Young, which discloses a panel carrying cart having an elongated and extendable frame adapted to support large sheets of material and provide a pivotable frame that can accommodate floor surface irregularities. The frame comprises a pair of elongated longitudinal rods having a hinge joint therealong. Lateral rods attach across the longitudinal rods, which support cart wheels at the ends thereof. The ends of both the lateral rods and the longitudinal rods further comprise upright members for supporting sheet material within the frame interior. Overall, the Young device is suited for carrying oversized sheets of material using a pivoting frame that can accommodate floor irregularities. The Young device however, utilizes upright members to support sheets of material, which can dig into the surface thereof. Furthermore, no means of supporting the lower edge of the sheets is provided on the frame to stabilize the material sheets in a substantially upright condition. The present invention contemplates a small dolly that comprises a low center of gravity and a weighted lower portion such that its size relative to its drywall payload can remain as small as possible. The upper portion of the present invention is suited for supporting drywall sheets at a substantially upright orientation while stabilizing the lower edges thereof.
Similar to the Young device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,514 to Ronca, which discloses a dolly for transporting large rectangular and circular sheets of material. The device comprises a base having four caster wheels and an upward extending stanchion that is adapted to be a support upon which to rest the sheet material. The base includes an open frame design with an open interior to accept there lower portion of the sheet material therethrough, while a retention bar on the base prevents the sheets from sliding once positioned on the device. While providing a dolly means that supports sheets in a substantially upright configuration, the Ronca device limits the side in which the sheets can be stacked on the device, and further comprises a stanchion that supports the sheets high along their outer surface. The present invention is a low profile frame having an upstanding support bar that is only just above a pair of drywall perches on the frame of the device. The present invention allows the user to control the height of the perch, while the upstanding support bar does not extend far above the perch while in operation, thereby allowing supported articles to be easily passed over the support bar and loaded from either side of the device. The design of the present invention diverges significantly from that of Ronca.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0085287 to Wyse discloses a drywall cart that includes a frame with caster wheels and a central trough for supporting the drywall therein. The device further includes uprights that extend upwards from the frame at a slight angle to support the drywall along their outer surfaces, wherein the drywall is disposed in the Wyse cart in a substantially upright condition. While disclosing a means of supporting drywall, the Wyse device provides a pair of uprights along both sides of the device and positions the drywall along the interior of the frame, thereby making it difficult to load and unload the drywall into the cart. A user must remove the uprights on one side to access the drywall, or load/unload from the ends of the cart. The present invention provides a height adjustable upper portion the positions the lower edge of the drywall higher above the ground, whereby a handhold cutout allows the installer to grip the lower edge of the drywall without bending over completely. Access is further provided to the installer from the sides of the present dolly, whereby the drywall is positioned at a slight inward angle, wherein its lower edge is outward of its upper edge. This facilitates ease of loading and unloading not contemplated by the Wyse device. The structure of the present invention diverges significantly form the Wyse device, wherein the elements of the present invention facilitate more rapid transfer of drywall sheets and reduced load on the installer. The present invention accomplishes this while maintaining a low center of gravity to prevent tipping when supporting oversized drywall panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,051 to Echternacht discloses a carriage for support and installation of doors and panels, whereby a wheeled chassis supports a door holding frame that is pivotable with respect to the chassis. The articulating frame supports a panel in either a horizontal or substantially vertical state, assisting an installer when hanging doors and other panels. The Echternacht contemplates an articulating mechanism that lifts panels into position from a resting state, wherein the mechanism attaches to the frame and connects the frame to the wheeled chassis. While providing an installation tool, the Echternacht device is adapted for different purposes and includes a higher degree of complexity than is desired by the present invention. The present invention contemplates a wheeled dolly that assists a worker moving and installing panels, such as drywall and plywood, wherein the device is a dolly with a substantially static frame having height adjustment only.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,526 to Mason discloses a cart that includes a first and second upright pillar that is mounted to a lower wheeled platform. The upright pillars support movable platforms using pivotable hanger elements disposed in the upper portion of each pillar whereby the hangers support work platforms or go unused to provide clearance on the platform and between the pillars. The Mason device provides a highly modular and reconfigurable cart that provides different loading surfaces and support surface options. However, the Mason device is not designed to support large panels in an elevated position as provided by the dolly of the present invention. The present invention supports drywall panels and the like, whereby the lower edge thereof is supported by an upper frame portion above a lower wheeled portion. The upper frame portion is height adjustable with respect to the lower portion, whereby the lower edge of the drywall panel can be accessed without bending over completely. While the present invention is modular, its primary aspect is supporting large panels in a substantially upright state, whereby the lower edge thereof is accessible and elevated, and the user can readily load and unload the panels thereonto without the assembly tipping during use.
Upon review of the relevant prior art, it is submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing drywall and large panel transport devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs and resolves drawbacks in the art.